


lover on a leash

by huehuehyuka



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, Confrontation, Crying, Cuddling, Established Relationship, M/M, breaking up, i think, it's tagged as teen bc soobin says fuck, that's basically it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26541487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huehuehyuka/pseuds/huehuehyuka
Summary: Kai really thought he was being slick, but Soobin knew exactly what his boyfriend was up to. Soobin was never fully asleep when Kai left the bed at night, and when Kai came home, he was always awoken by the ruffling of sheets and shifting of weight. Soobin never said anything. Soobin saw flashes of heart emoji-littered messages on Kai’s phone, but he never said anything. He knew Kai was cheating on him, but something inside of him said to do nothing.---title from Conan Gray's "The Cut That Always Bleeds", but the song itself is not relevant to the fic.
Relationships: Choi Soobin & Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai, Choi Yeonjun/Huening Kai
Comments: 3
Kudos: 42





	lover on a leash

**Author's Note:**

> kinda bad & not my best but i had the idea and brain go brr

Kai really thought he was being slick, but Soobin knew exactly what his boyfriend was up to. Soobin was never fully asleep when Kai left the bed at night, and when Kai came home, he was always awoken by the ruffling of sheets and shifting of weight. Soobin never said anything. Soobin saw flashes of heart emoji-littered messages on Kai’s phone, but he never said anything. He knew Kai was cheating on him, but something inside of him said to do nothing. 

Kai often came up with random lies to leave during the day. Soobin imagined that Kai would run off to his little lover after telling Soobin he was out getting lunch with family or hanging out with friends from high school. He wondered if Kai’s other boyfriend knew about Kai’s double life. Considering how bad he was at hiding it here, there was no doubt his other boyfriend knew. If his other boyfriend knew, why was he letting it happen? 

“My sisters want to go shopping,” Kai said, locking his phone before Soobin could clearly see the screen. Little did he know, the older boy already saw the ‘Yeonjun♡’ on the top of the screen. They were watching a drama together, leaning against each other. They used to be cuddling, but Kai had moved away to text someone. Typical.

“They’re just telling you now?” Soobin raised an eyebrow. He knew this was a lie to go see his other boyfriend. He knew if he said ‘no’ or ‘go ahead’, Kai would suspect that there’s something off about Soobin. He was reckless, but not stupid. Soobin figured that if he acted like everything was normal, like Kai wasn’t obviously cheating on him, he could at least pretend like all of Kai’s affections were genuine. 

“Last-minute invitation,” Kai played it off. His phone buzzed, screen illuminating and displaying a ‘So can you make it?’ from ‘Yeonjun♡’. He quickly locked his screen again, this time flipping it over. 

“Alright, have fun,” Soobin said, getting up from the couch. “I’m gonna see if Taehyun wants to hang out then,” he added, making his way to the bedroom. He didn’t miss how Kai lifted his phone the moment Soobin stood up. He sighed and hoped Kai didn’t notice.

“I love you, hyung,” Kai called out. Those words sounded tainted coming from Kai’s lips. Soobin knew that Kai didn’t mean it, but Soobin couldn't help but respond. 

“I love you, too.”

Soobin waited until he heard the front door open and shut again, not moving until the door locked. He sat on the bedroom floor, phone in hand. The need to cry tugged at his heart, a familiar dull ache. He picked up his phone and called Taehyun. His eyes started to sting with tears. The corners of his lips twitched.

“What’s up, Soobin-hyung?” Taehyun asked through the phone. 

“Can…” he took in a shaky breath, trying to collect himself. It didn’t work. A sob wracked through his body as fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

“I’ll be right over.” Taehyun was concerned, yet calm. This was not the first time. “Give me a few minutes, I’ll be there very soon.” It was convenient that Taehyun lived in the same apartment complex. 

Soobin hung up and curled in on himself, crying into his knees, hands tangled in his own hair. It hurt. No matter how many times Kai left, no matter how many times Soobin pretended like Kai was loyal, the pain only grew. He could only handle so much.

Soobin heard a knocking on the door. He managed to pull himself off the floor and drag his body to the door. He opened it and was immediately hugged by his pink-haired friend, leaning over slightly. “I’m here, I’m here, hyung,” Taehyun comforted, rubbing the taller’s back. “C’mon, let’s sit down and talk.” They separated and Soobin nodded, wiping tears with his hoodie sleeves. 

Soobin sat on the couch as Taehyun grabbed two ice cream bars from the freezer. Soobin’s apartment was basically also Taehyun’s. Everytime Kai left and Soobin couldn’t stand the loneliness, Taehyun was always ready to hang out with him. Occasionally, Taehyun’s boyfriend, Beomgyu, would come over too, but more often than not, it was only Taehyun comforting his best friend. 

Taehyun handed one ice cream to Soobin, who accepted it quickly, opening the wrapper and taking a bite. Taehyun opened his and started eating it too. “Are you ever going to tell him off?” the younger asks bluntly. “It’s been weeks, Bin-hyung."

“I know…” Soobin avoided eye-contact, nibbling the chocolate shell of the ice cream bar. 

“He’s mistreating you, hyung.”

“But when he’s here he’s good,” Soobin admitted. “Th-the way he kisses me before we sleep and when we wake up… And how we cuddle before he… leaves some nights… It’s nice when he says he loves me…”

“But he does all that with someone else,” the other added. “He kisses someone else, cuddles someone else… How can you confirm he loves you--”

“I don’t know, Taehyun.” The blue-haired boy looked up at the other. “I just don’t want to lose him. He must love me a little if he hasn’t left me, right?”

Taehyun only sighed. “Hyung, that isn’t a healthy mindset. You need to break up with him. If not, he’ll break up with you eventually anyway. Believe me or not, he can’t keep this up forever. You can’t afford to deal with this either. You’ll be a lot happier with time.”

Soobin ate the last bit of ice cream from the stick, licking his lips. “Give me a week, then I’ll tell him.”

“The sooner the better,” Taehyun interjected. “Three days.”

The elder had to think for a moment. Taehyun awaited his response with wide eyes. “Fine. Three days.”

The morning of the first day, Soobin woke up next to Kai. The younger had his arms wrapped around the other, his face squishing slightly on Soobin’s chest. He looked like a doll. Soobin couldn’t help but hug Kai back, rubbing one hand up and down his back, the other hand tangled soft, brown hair. 

Kai’s eyes fluttered open. Their eyes met for a second before Kai closed his eyes and smiled. “Good morning, love.”

Soobin couldn’t help but smile slightly in response. “Good morning, sunshine.”

Kai opened his pretty eyes again. He moved so he could comfortably face Soobin. He leaned in and gave his boyfriend a light kiss on the lips. They parted and stared into each other’s eyes.

Liar. Dishonest. Cheater. He doesn’t really care. Soobin suppressed those thoughts. Instead he muttered a little “you’re so pretty”.

“You’re so cute,” Kai cooed, poking the other’s nose. 

This was one of the few days Soobin was able to spend the whole day with Kai. They had a lazy Saturday, cuddling in bed and only getting up for food and the bathroom. They watched a drama on Soobin’s laptop, except Soobin caught how Kai sneakily checked his phone and texted supposedly, ‘Yeonjun♡’. 

They fell asleep that night with their limbs intertwined. Soobin woke up around 2am to Kai sliding out of the bed. He dared not to move, but watched as Kai pulled on a jacket and jeans and left the room. Soobin was alone again. 

Second day. Kai was back in the morning. Soobin woke up with the boy turned away from him this time. The blue-haired boy only sat up and slipped out of bed, not caring if Kai was stirred awake or not. He went through his usual morning routine, washing his face and brushing his teeth. 

Soobin was eating breakfast when Kai woke up, rubbing sleep from his eyes and wandering into the kitchen like a lost puppy. Cute for a cheater. “Good morning, hyungie,” Kai yawned. 

“Did you sleep well, baby?” The pet name slipped from his lips. 

“Uhuh,” Kai raised his voice an octave. Soobin hated how cute he was. Kai continued to speak in his normal voice. “Family wants to go out for lunch at around 1pm.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Lea starts work tomorrow. Mom and Bahiyyih wanted to do one more thing with all of us together before Lea is too busy,” Kai explained. If this was a lie, it was pretty believable. 

Soobin glanced around the room. “Can I come?” Maybe he asked that as a test. He never asked to join a Huening family meal before.

Kai hesitated. “Let me ask my mom.”

“Your mom likes me,” Soobin questioned, tilting his head. The first time he met the Huenings, he was met with nothing but love and kindness. It’s funny how they seemed to love him more than his own boyfriend.

“Y-yeah but this is for the four of us,” Kai stuttered. 

“Forget it, then,” Soobin sighed. “Just go.” Soobin thinks that Kai let it go too easily. He was definitely just going out to see the other boy. Kai left around 12:30pm, leaving Soobin alone for about two hours before coming back.

“Did you have a nice lunch?” The blue-haired boy asked, not bothering to look up from his gaming laptop. 

“Oh, yeah,” Kai answered before disappearing into their bedroom. 

Soobin stayed up playing video games that night. It was like a little bit of stress relief. He was able to lose himself in a virtual world with clear objectives to achieve and enemies to fight. Soobin stopped around 1am, lifelessly making his way to the bedroom. He found Kai fast asleep, clinging onto a plushie.

The third day was a repeat of many other days. They woke up snuggled against each other. A few sleepy compliments were exchanged along with a few kisses. It was all empty from Kai’s side, but Soobin held onto what he could get before Kai eventually detached himself to text his not-so-secret lover. 

They both had classes that day. Soobin knew that Kai was using this time apart to see Yeonjun. Maybe Kai wasn’t even attending classes, but instead in Yeonjun’s apartment, lips locked with the other. Soobin hated to think that way, but at this point, it might as well be true. 

Was Soobin doing something wrong? Who knows how long Kai has been playing with him? At least a few weeks, that’s for sure. Soobin just could not wrap his head around why Kai would do such a thing. If Kai really didn’t love him, why didn’t he just break up with the elder? Sometimes Soobin wished Kai would have just dumped him weeks ago. He doesn’t have the guts to do it himself, but Soobin needs to. He will.

At night, they cuddled again. Soobin was the big spoon, holding Kai close to him. Maybe if he held onto the younger tight enough, he wouldn’t leave in the middle of the night. Soobin waited to hear Kai’s light snores before letting himself fall asleep. 

Soobin’s little theory was wrong. He woke up to Kai shimmying out of Soobin’s arms, replacing himself with a pillow. 

“Why, Kai?” Soobin sleepily said. His boyfriend froze and slowly turned to look at his boyfriend.

“I-I’m just going to the bathro--”

“I know what you’ve been doing, Kai Kamal,” he interrupted, sitting up and flicking on a lamp. 

“What do you mean?” The younger fidgeted with his sleeves. 

“You’re cheating on me. Don’t play stupid.” Soobin tried to act mad, but his voice started to shake. The weight of the need to cry pulled at his heart again. It was happening. 

“Why would you say--”

“Shut up!” Soobin cried out. “You’ve been doing this for weeks! Y-You’re a terrible liar… A-and terrible cheater…” Tears blurred Soobin’s vision. He sniffled. “I don’t understand, Kai…”

“Why didn’t you dump me if you knew this whole time?” Kai asked, looking straight down at his feet, head hung in shame. 

“Wh--” Soobin couldn’t believe this boy. “Because I fucking love you, Kai! I-I love you and you, what, keep me around just to kiss me? Just to cuddle? Why don’t you pack up your stuff and run off to Yeonjun? Get out of my fucking apartment. I’m sure he’d love to take you in.” Soobin could not believe the words coming out of his mouth. Tears never stopped falling. The moment of strength and anger quickly melted away. Sobs shook Soobin’s body as he gasped and hiccuped.

“Hyung,” Kai reached a hand out for his boyfriend… or ex-boyfriend, rather. “I’m sorry.” 

Soobin felt the mattress dip as Kai crawled back on to wrap the older boy in a warm embrace. Soobin wished he didn’t love the feeling. He hated how he hugged back, sobbing into the younger’s shoulder.

“Just…” Soobin sniffed and tightened his hold. “Stay with me one more night... Pretend that you still love me f-for one more night. Tomorrow you can go to… him. B-but tonight please love me.”

“I love you, Soobin-hyung,” Kai said softly. It sounded so sweet but Soobin knew there was nothing behind it. He literally asked Kai to say it, but it still made his heart swell. 

“Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> @hyukaesthetics on twitter lol ;)


End file.
